Automatic thermo-electric cut-off for water-service supply-pipes



(No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 1 E. A. NEWMAN. AUTOMATIC I'HERMO ELEGTRIG GUT-OFF FOR WATER SEE-VICE .SUPPLY PIPES.

Patented Sept. 4, 1888.

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E. A. NEWMAN. AUTOMATIG THERMO ELEGTRIG GUT-OFF FOR WATER SERVICE SUPPLY PIPES.

No. 389,096. Patented S ept. 4, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

EDIVIN A. NEWMAN, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE NEIVMAN ANTI-FREEZING \VATE-R PIPE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC THERlVlO-ELECTRIC CUT-OFF FOR WATER-SERVICE SUPPLY-PlPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 889,096, dated September 4:, 1888.

Application filed August '7, 1886.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN A. NEWMAN, of Washington city, in the District of Columbia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improve- 5 ments in Automatic Thermo-illlectric Out-Offs for ater-Service Supply-Pipes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide for the automatic cut-off of watersupply in buildings when the temperature falls to such a de' gree that the water in the pipes is liable to become frozen. In my improved organization I employ a thermostatic circuit-co nipleter which controls a cut-off circuit, including suitable electrical appliances.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram view illustrating three houses with the cut-off apparatus for all the houses connected in one circuit and controlled at a single point by one thermostat. Fig. 2 is a diagram view illustrating a similar arrangement and showing a different form of thermostat. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are detail views illustrating forms of cut-ott valves with suitable electromagnetic devices for operating them. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing a magneticallycoutrolled air-valve to be arranged at some point in the upper part of the pipe system of each house for the purpose of admitting air on top of the column of water when the supplyvalve is closed and the waste opcnedfor the discharge of water in the pipes. Figs. Sand 9 are detail views of a faucet having a switch or circuitcompleting device connected therewith, so that by the mercturning of the faucet when water is cut off from the pipes a proper circuit will be completed to temporarily turn on the water-supply. Fig. 10 is a diagram view similar to Fig. 1, showing asomewhat different or- 0 ganizatiou; Fig. 11, a similar diagram view showing another organization, and Fig. 12 a detail sectional. view of a cutoff valve adapted for use in a normally-open cut oft' circuit.

Referring at first especially to Figs. 1 and 10, Th represents a thermostat, which may be of any suitable construction. In Fig. 1 I have illustrated an ordinary thermometer bulb and stem. Upon the mercury in the bulb and lower part of the stem I place some suitable Serial No. 210,372. (No model.)

nonconducting fluid, a, of a lower specific 5o gravity than the mercury, and on the top of such non-conducting fluid I place suitable conducting-fluid, c, of still lower specific gravity;

GB in Fig. 1 represent the battery of the cutoff circuit. A wire, a, from one pole of this battery is embedded in the side of the thermostatic tube, so as to present its end to the contact of the conducting-fluid therein. The wire a from the opposite pole of the battery GB is carried to the various cut-off valves under the control of this particular thermostat, and its end a is finally embedded in the side of the thermostatic tube on the same level as the opposite end of the circuit a. The mercury, non-conducting fluid, and upper con- 6 ducting'fluid of the thermostat are so related to the terminal wires a a of the cut-off circuit that as long as the temperature of the atmosphere remains within certain degrees the non-conducting fluid will be in contact with the terminals of the circuit. The controlling-circuit will therefore normally be opened and water will ilow from the mains to the supply-pipes in the several houses. Should the temperature fall, however, to such 7 5 a point, previously determined upon, as to bring the upper conducting-fluid in the ther mostatic tube in contact with the terminal wires of the cut-off circuit that circuit would be completed and thc water-supply valves inso cluded in the circuit would all be closed and the waste-connections opened, as prcsentl y described.

A preferred arrangement is shown in Fig. 10. There an ordinary mercury bulb and stem 8 are used. In the top of the stem an adjustable circuit-complcting contact finger or pin,

7), extends down into the stem or tube. One terminal of a local circuit, la, in which the local battery LB is included, is connected 0 with this adjustable cont-act b, while the op positc terminal of the circuit may be embedded in the bulb or stem of the thermostat in contact with the mercury therein. This local circuit includes the coils of a magnet, It, the armature of which is normally attracted away from its back-stop 2*, thus normally opening the cut-off circuit a of the battery 0B. When the temperature has fallen to a certain degree, however, the mercury in the thermostat leaves the contact-finger I), thus opening the local cir-r cuit and permitting the armature r to go against its back-stop, thus completing the cut-off circuit and operating all the valves, as presently described.

\Vith the exception above described,.Figs. 1 and 10 illustrate the same organization. The oircuit-wire from the battery CB runs to a cutoff magnet, M, which operates the cutoff valve of the pipe system No. 1 in any suit-. able manner, as presently described.

From the magnet M the circuit extends to a magnet, m, which operates the air-vent val ve, arranged at some point in the upper partof this pipe system, so that when the water-supply is cut-off and the waste-connection opened, as presently described, the vent permits the entrance of air and insures the discharge of the water from the pipes. The circuit is similarly connected with magnets M m M m", &c., and is then completed to the opposite pole of the battery OB by way of the wire a, backstop, magnet R, and armature 1'.

Figs. 3, 4t, 5, and 6 illustrate suitable cut-off valves which may be usedin connection with my invention. In these figures, M represents the magnets shown in the diagram views, which have been described. S is the supply-opening, and 'W the wasteopening. When the magnet is energized, the armature A on the valvespindle is attracted, the water-inlet closed, and the waste opened. The valve-spindle may be provided with springs S, which tend to keep the valves open. Such construction is unnecessary, as upon the demagnetization of the cut-off magnet the pressure of the water will be sufficient to open the valve. The construction is obvious, and more detailed illustration is unnecessary.

The air-valve, which is controlled by the magnet m, may be constructed in'the manner illustrated in Fig. 7-that is, a pin-ball valve, 12, carried by pivoted arm V, is normally held closed by a spring, '0. When the armature on the end of the lever is attracted, the valve is opened to permit the admission of air.

I have illustrated the valves shown merely for the purpose of exhibiting a practical con struction which may be employed in connection with my invention; but obviously any forms of valves capable of being operated or controlled by an electric circuit may be employed. If, when the water-supply is cut off, as above described, it should be desired to draw water in any of the pipe systems 1, 2, or 8, &c., this may readily be done by closing shunt-circuits to around the magnets M m M m, &c. For instance, referring to the drawings Figs. 1 and 10, a switch, 8, may be provided on each floor for closing the shunt ac. Thus, in the pipe system No. l in Fig. 10, if either the upper or lower switch 8 is closed, a short circuit will be established around the magnets M in, they will be demagnatized, and

the spring-valves will be thrown open, thus closing the waste and opening the water-inlet. Upon the opening of the switch the water is again cut off.

Instead of employing ordinary switches,such as shown in the diagram views, the switches may be mounted on or form part of the faucet, as illustrated in Fig. 8, in which was represent theshuntcircuit wires, and s the switch-contact.

In Fig. 2 I have described an arrangement thesame as shown in Figs. 1 and 10, but the construction of the thermostat is different. In this figure I have shown the thermostat consisting of an expansible rod, D, of any suitable construction. This rod is inclosed in a suitable jacket or casing, D, and may be adjusted by means or" a nut, d, on the lower end thereof. Its upper end is connected with an arm, E,- pivoted at one end to the casing D. Upon the opposite end of the arm E is arranged a suitable contact-finger, d, which works against an insulating-strip of vulcanite or suitable material, (1 secured to the side of the casing D. One end of the cut offcircuit wire is connected with the insulated arm d on the lever E, while the other terminal of said circuit is connected with a metal block, (2 which forms a continuation of the curved insulated strip (1 Upon a sufficient fall of the temperature the contraction of the rod D is such as to complete the circuit of the battery CB through the contact cl and insulated finger d, thus cutting off the water-supply, as before described.

W'hen it is desired to draw water in any one of the pipe systems, instead of directly establishing the shunt-circuit :0 by the closing of the switches s, as before described, I may place the switches s in a local circuit in which is included the coil of a magnet, F, which, upon the completion of the local by the closing of any one of the switches s, attracts the armature-leverf, thuscompleting the shunt-circuit was through the armature f and short-circuiting the cut-off and air valves of that particur lar system.

Instead of the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 10 for the arrangement of local circuit just described in connection with Fig. 2, I may use ordinary elbow-levers, g, which may be actuated from any suitable point by wires 9 to draw the lever f against the contact f thus completing the shunt m, as shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 11 and 12, they illustrate an arrangement in which in the normal conditionthat is, when the water is turned onthe cut-off circuit is completed. For instance, mercury in the thermostatic tube Th will normally complete the circuit between the terminals a a; but upon a fall in temperature the circuit will be opened and the cut-oft valves and air-valves automatically operated. WVith such an arrangement of circuits, of course, the construction of valve would be altered, so that the magnet would normallyhold the valve open, and upon the opening of the circuit the valve would be automatically closed by a suitable spring or otherwise. Fig. 12 represents such a construction, and specific description is un necessary.

It is deemed unnecessary to describe further modifications of my invention, though the details might be modified in other ways withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

I claim- 1. The combination of the water supplypipe system, its inlet-valve and air-valve conneeted to the upper part of the pipe system, the thermostat, the cut-off circuit controlled by the thermostat, and electromagnetic devices l'or controlling the waterinlet and airvalves.

2. The combination of the water-supply system, its inlet-valve, the thermostat, a local circuit in which the thermostat is included, the cutoff circuit in which electromagnetic devices for controlling the inlet-valve are included, and a magnet in the local circuit for opening and closing the cut-off circuit.

3. The combination of one or more independent pipe systems, their inlet-valves, the cut-oh circuit, electro-magnetic devices in the cut-off circuit for controlling said inlet-valves, a thermostat for controlling said circuit, and a shuntcircuit around each inlet-valve, whereby said valve may be short circuited and water admitted to the particular pipe system.

4. The combination 01 a water-supply-pipe system, its inlet-valve, the cut-off circuit, electro'magnetic devices in said circuit for controlling the inlet-valve, a thermostat for controlling said circuit, and a shunt or short cir' cuit around the magnetic controlling devices of the inlet-valve.

5. The combination of a pipe system, its inlet-valve, electro magnetic devices for controlling said valve, an electric circuit in which said magnetic devices are included, a thermostat for controlling said circuit, a shunt or short circuit around the magnetic devices of the inlet-valve, and a faucet of the pipe system having switch devices included in said shunteircuit, which are automatically operated upon the turning of the faucet.

6. The combination, with a pipe or conduit having an outlet faucet or cock, of an automatically-controlled cut-off valve or cock for shutting ed the flow of liquid to the pipe, one

or more thermostats placed, as described, so

as to be affected by changes of temperature affecting the contents of the pipe, and a controlling device placed at or near the outlet faucet or cock and within the control of the operator for permitting the control of the cutoff valve independently of the condition of the thermostat or thermostats.

7. The combination, with a section of pipe, of an eleetrically-controlled drain cook or faucet placed between said section of pipe and the main, one or more thermostats placed in proximity to the section of pipe, as described, and adjusted to be called into action on a determinate change of temperature, and

an automatic valve for admitting air to the pipe when the drain cook or faucet is opened. Intestimouy whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ED'WIN A. NEYVMAN;

'Wi tnesses:

Jos. R. Enson, .Tos. FORREST. 

